The 8 Best Memory Foam Mattresses for All Types of Sleepers

Ever wonder what it would feel like to fall asleep on a cloud? Then you should consider a memory foam mattress. The best options distribute your weight evenly along the surface in a way that makes you feel like you're floating, while also cradling your curves and supporting your spine throughout the night. 

Thanks to the rising popularity of memory foam, there are dozens of unique foam bed options on the market. The experts at Mattress Advisor tested hundreds of beds to create a list of the best memory foam mattresses you can shop online.

• Best on a Budget: Nectar
• Best for Hot Sleepers: Puffy Lux
• Best Firm: Loom & Leaf
• Best for Combination Sleepers: Casper Original
• Best Luxury: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-ProAdapt
• Best Flippable: Layla
• Best for Athletes: Amerisleep AS3
• Best for Back Pain: Tuft & Needle Mint

Here are some of the key factors to consider when you start shopping for a new mattress, including what type of sleeper you are and whether you tend to wake up with aches and pains.

Memory foam beds are one of the best mattress types for side sleepers, who need a little extra cushion to prevent their hips and shoulders from bearing too much weight. Memory foam has enough give to cradle these pressure points while still keeping your midsection and back supported in a healthy, neutral posture. 

A foam bed can also be a good option for back sleepers and stomach sleepers as long as you choose the right firmness level. Medium-firm mattresses, in particular, work well for relieving back pain — they're supportive enough to maintain spine alignment yet soft enough to keep you comfortable. As for combination sleepers, who switch positions frequently throughout the night, they would benefit from a responsive mattress that adapts to their movements.

Memory foam beds are known for their ability to provide stellar pressure relief. No matter how you sleep, your position will naturally place more stress on the hips, shoulders, knees, and chest (if you snooze on your stomach). Memory foam not only cushions these areas, but it also distributes your weight along the length of the mattress to help alleviate strain. 

As you rest on memory foam, your body creates a soft imprint on the surface of the bed as it contours around your curves. A responsive mattress will spring back into place and fill in those indentations, making it easier to switch positions. 

If you sleep with a partner, choosing a mattress that limits motion transfer could be a relationship saver. The best mattress for couples is a motion-isolating bed that absorbs the movements of your sleep companion so that you can remain undisturbed by their tossing and turning. 

Traditional memory foam mattresses have a reputation for heat retention. But in gel memory foam beds, the layers of foam are infused with temperature-regulating cooling gel beads that move body heat away from the surface to help prevent overheating. It's worth noting that while gel-infused foam beds may sleep cooler than all-foam beds, they still fall short of innerspring and hybrid mattresses, which integrate coils into their design for an ultra-cool sleep experience.

Infusing foam with copper allows for more breathability in your mattress, making it easier to regulate temperature throughout the night. But, as is true with gel-infused foam, copper-infused foam beds usually don't sleep as cool as mattresses with coils. 

Jillian Mueller is a health and lifestyle writer for Mattress Advisor.